Retailers Are 'Dismayed' By SCOTUS Ruling

Retailers are "dismayed" by the Supreme Court's decision to
uphold most of Obama's healthcare plan, according to the National
Retail Federation.

The law unfairly penalizes employers and the private sector, NRF
President Matthew Shay said in a release
today.

The Wall Street Journal reported back in 2010 that most
retailers said they'd have a hard time complying with employer
requirements for the bill. Many retail employees don't currently
receive healthcare from their employer.

The NRF has lobbied lawmakers to make amendments to the
Affordable Care Act.

According to Shay:

“NRF worked closely with lawmakers throughout the
debate with the hopes that bipartisan reform would help make
coverage more accessible and affordable. The law that
emerged in 2010 was a controversial and partisan measure riddled
with punitive mandates and penalties that were as unreasonable as
they were unworkable.

“Although the Court upheld the law’s
constitutionality, many problems remain: it penalizes employers
too much; it doesn’t do enough to reduce the cost of health care;
and it is unreasonably complicated and difficult to implement and
administer.

“This law will have a dramatic, negative impact on every
employer and employee in the United States and further constrain
job creation and economic growth.

“NRF will redouble our efforts to repeal the law while we
continue to work, in good faith, with regulators to smooth
implementation for retailers and businesses alike.”

There's a huge intersection between health care and retail,
and right now it's going through a time of flux. Aside from the
internal issues with employees, retailers like Walmart, Walgreens and CVS have their own consumer-side health care
businesses, and are particularly exposed.